water

The very first orchid species were pulled out of the jungle by Westerners in the early 1800’s and it took half a century of trial and error to figure out how to water these mysterious epiphytes. There were countless mishaps along the way and many of the best varieties were lost forever. But, by the dawn of the new millennium and, for the next 100 years or so, professional growers and hobbyists alike had mastered the art of keeping their orchids properly hydrated.

Queen Bee par Excellence

It must have been fun to be an orchid enthusiast and live in London in the 1880s. You could see a new display of orchids two or three times a week. You could see the displays even if you only worked in London, because they were usually held from 11 am to 2:30 pm weekdays — during your lunch break.